How to Screenprint the Speedball® Way
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INTRODUCTION PREPARING A WORK AREA Screen-printing, sometimes called silk screening or serigraphy, A card table will provide enough work area for most projects. It has long proved its worth as a fine arts and commercial is necessary to locate your work area with easy access to a large medium. While SPEEDBALL® Screen Printing Materials meet the sink or laundry tub with hot and cold water. high quality standards of professionals, our hope is to bring the satisfaction and enjoyment of Screen Printing to the hobbyist, If you plan to make a large number of prints, you may wish to the handcrafter and the student as well. string a line through spring-type clothespins or bulldog clips, or make a rack to keep prints from smearing while they dry. The Speedball® systems allow total flexibility. You can create screen stencils in a variety of ways and produce prints with three SPEEDBALL® water-based, solvent-free inks; water-soluble, permanent acrylic and fabric inks. These instructions have been prepared in simple language. If followed, they will produce satisfying results. Additional and replacement materials are available from all stores where SPEEDBALL® Art Products are sold. PREPARING YOUR TOOLS In addition to the materials supplied in the SPEEDBALL® Kits, you Step A may want to have the following items on hand: Two hinges with screws and removable pins are included in some Speedball® kits. These are easily attached by first joining the • Water resistant masking tape (1” wide) halves together with hinge pins. It is best to mount the side of the • Screw Driver hinge with two bearings to the base and the side of the hinge • Old newspapers with one bearing to the screen frame. Then, position the • Sheet of Cardboard • Small nylon scrub brush assembled hinges over the “pilot” holes on top of the frame and • Scissors base and screw them in place. Be sure they are right side up. • Timer Speedball® offers heavy duty hinge clamps for bigger screens (see • Small lamp or lamp cord list of products on page 10). Follow this by screwing the kickleg with a standard socket to the side of the frame. A “pilot” hole has been provided for this BBA No. 1 Photoflood or also. Note the kickleg should be “free-swinging.” a clear 150 watt incandescent bulb Step B NOTE: Light bulbs may be found at most photo supply The next important step in preparation is to detach the frame stores or you can order from the base and scrub both sides of the screen fabric with a through Bulb Direct: nylon brush and trisodium phosphate/water or dishwasher 1-800-772-5267 powder/water solution. • Reflector shop light (available at any hardware store) • Cellophane tape • Paper cups • SPEEDBALL® Super Black Ink • SPEEDBALL® Pens • Old towels, rags, paper towels • 9” x 12” piece of glass, Plexiglas, or Lucite • Rubber gloves • Apron or Smock An added luxury is an electric fan. This can be used to cut down the required drying time in preparation of screens for printing as well as the drying of prints. 1 Speedball® Screen Printing Instruction Booklet www.speedballart.com • 1.800.898.7224 Let it dry thoroughly after rinsing. For water-based inks, use 1” wide water-resistant masking tape. Lay the tape so it is divided equally half on the screen fabric-half on the screen frame. Turn the frame over and cover the groove with tape. Be certain that the tape extends beyond the frame and onto the fabric. For solvent-based inks, use seal gummed water-soluble tape with several coats of polyurethane. Step B Position printing paper under the frame. Lay your cutouts on Taping in this way helps to maintain a “tight” screen, and this paper as desired and lower the screen prevents ink from leaking under the screen frame during printing and will keep the edges of your prints clean. To get Step C maximum adhesion of the tape, rub it with a spoon or wooden Follow the directions found in section “Making Prints.” Press stirrer. When choosing your pattern or design make sure to down on the screen frame to insure complete contact with all leave a generous border from the taped edges (minimum of 1” cutouts. Make your first print. You will find with the first pass of from taped edge). the squeegee, the ink will cause the cutouts to stick to the underside of the screen creating a stencil effect. Step C There are a number of ways to prepare a screen to print the Once you see how simple this method is, you may wish to try picture or message you want. While the methods are different, variations by creating two or three designs with torn paper of the basic principle is to make a stencil on the screen fabric which various shapes and printing each in a different color or hue. Do allows ink to be forced through its “open” areas to produce a not overlap cutout pieces on the screen. design. NOTE: Generally ten to fifteen prints can be satisfactorily produced by this method. When a larger number of prints are desired, you should use one or more “permanent “ methods. #2 SCREEN FILLER METHOD (Direct block-out or “Negative Method”) Using Screen Filler is another simple means of preparing a screen for printing. The Screen Filler is used to block out those areas that you do not wish to print. This allows the ink to be PREPARING SCREENS forced through the screen wherever the Screen Filler has not been applied. These instructions explain 4 of the more popular methods used for preparing screens. Read and Follow them carefully. Step A On a sheet of plain paper, make up the illustrations or message you wish to print with your screen. Place this layout on a #1 PAPER STENCIL METHOD tabletop. Place your screen over this layout and trace your design directly on the screen fabric using a soft lead pencil. This is the best method for a beginner. It is the fastest, least expensive, and simplest way to prepare a screen. The Paper Step B stencil method is good for geometric shapes and basic patterns. Stir the Screen Filler until it is thoroughly mixed to a smooth It is not intended for complicated designs or lettering. Begin by consistency. Using a paintbrush, paint the screen filler on all cutting an illustration from paper. Keep the paper flat and not areas of your layout that you do not want to print. Be certain wrinkled. For more accurate and durable cut paper stencils, use that the bottom of the screen is elevated (not touching the freezer wrap (shiny side up). Designs can be cut with scissors or table). When all areas to be blocked out are covered with Screen stencil knife or they can be “torn” to create a textured Filler, flip the screen over and appearance. smooth out places the Filler may have collected on the opposite Step A side of the screen. Be careful Cut your paper stencil. You may wish to create a design by during this smoothing out folding and cutting your paper as illustrated. For your stencil, process not to distort your you can use either the cutout or the paper remaining. work. www.speedballart.com • 1.800.898.7224 Speedball® Screen Printing Instruction Booklet 2 Step C Step D Leave the screen to dry in a level position. Make sure nothing When the Screen Filler has thoroughly dried, spray cold water touches the areas covered with Screen Filler. Thorough drying is on both sides of the screen. Concentrate the spray on the areas necessary. Overnight drying is recommended to assure best where Drawing Fluid was applied. These areas will wash out and results. the screen will open at those points so that ink can flow through them. If some areas remain slightly blocked, scrub them lightly Check for pinholes in the blocked-out areas. You can do this by with a small stiff brush on both sides. (An old toothbrush will do holding the screen up to a light. Fill any pinholes with Screen a great job.) If necessary you can use Greased Lightning or Filler and allow to dry completely. You are now ready to print. Washing Soda (an Arm& Hammer Product) Washing Soda must NOTES: Since Screen Filler is applied to all areas which are not to be dissolved in warm water (1 cup per gallon of water). DO NOT be printed, this – along with all traditional “direct” methods - is USE HOT WATER DURING THIS STAGE. Allow your screen to dry in a considered to be a “negative” method of printing. Your print will level (horizontal) position, bottom-side up. Using a hair dryer or be the opposite of that which you created in your screen. fan may accelerate drying time. Move to the section marked “Making Prints”. #3 Drawing Fluid – Screen Filler Method (Tusche – resist or “positive” method) Step A On a sheet of plain paper, make up the illustration or message you wish to print with your screen. Place this layout on a tabletop. Place your screen over this layout, top side up. Trace your design directly on the screen fabric with a soft lead pencil. #4 PHOTOGRAPHIC EMULSION METHOD Step A (alternative) The preparation of a layout is to help guide the application of Use polyester screen fabric. Nylon will stretch with water-based Drawing Fluid. If you feel such a guide is unnecessary, go inks and is not suitable. Do not use silk or organdy if you wish directly to Step B. to reclaim the screen. Step B This is one of the most exciting methods of Screen Printing You can work on either side of the screen.